Ok here's my two cents.....
I did the cold weather river thing for steel head and salmon for years.
I have 5mm thick neoprene with 1000 gram thinsulate and felt bottom boots. These can't be beat in cold conditions and slippery rocks. Here's similar ones:
http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/ense...oryId=105697080&ensembleId=6058&type=ensemble
Pros:
1. Easy to repair if you get a hole. Just rubber cement and fabric.
2. Tight fit. Very important if you take a fall. You dont want them to fill with water.
3. Great for cold water hunting. Warm as can be.
4. Durable. Make sure its the 5mm thick neoprene.
5. Great traction on slimy rocks with felt soles. Suck in the mud.
6. Less surface area to get pushed around by the current. Tight fit.
7. Suspenders are built in.
Cons:
1. Hot in the summer.
2. Stuck with the one style boot.
In the fall, winter, and spring they can't be beat period. In the dog days of summer the breathables may be the better option. I use mine for bow fishing in the summer and they can be warm to wear. But slipping through the water with a tight fit is nice. Make sure what ever you get you have suspenders, a belt (if not tight fitting), and ankle gators. Ankle gators are a little Velcro strap that you put around the bottom of your pants. It holds your pants in place when you put your foot in the waders.